The invention relates to a vehicle roof with a roof opening, said opening being closable by a removable cover that is attached to a roof frame in the vicinity of its forward edge by means of a releasable swivel connection around an axis running at right angles to the lengthwise axis of the vehicle. The swivelable connection enabling the cover to move upwardly and outward so that its rear edge projects above the roof plane in conjunction with a tilting device that is located between the roof frame and the cover and releasable from the cover.
In known vehicle roofs of this type (German Auslegeschrift No. 2,710,193) and corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,761, a telescopic screw with a threaded part is provided as a tilting device, said threaded part comprising two laterally projecting locking pins, said pins being engageable with safety catches, said catches being located on the underside of the cover and releasable against spring force, while an additional threaded part of the telescopic screw is connected with the roof frame. By actuating the safety latches, the locking pins are released, whereupon the cover may be removed. An arrangement of this sort permits the cover to be tilted for ventilation or even removed completely if desired. However, if the locking pins are released with the cover fully or partially tilted, it can easily happen that one forgets to retract the telescopic screw after the cover is removed. The telescopic screw then projects with its upper part out of the vehicle roof, forming a source of danger.
Thus, an object of the present invention is to avoid this disadvantage and to improve vehicle roofs of this type with regard to accident safety.
This object is achieved according to a preferred embodiment of the invention by virtue of the fact that a safety device is provided which permits the tilting device to be separated from the cover only when the cover is closed. By this means, it is ensured that the user can separate the tilting device from the cover only when the tilting device is retracted. When the cover is removed, consequently, the tilting device will always be in the position which corresponds to the closed position of the cover.
The safety device advantageously comprises an unlocking element which serves to release the tilting device from the cover, said element being accessible only when the cover is closed. In this fashion, improper release of the tilting device is easily avoided.
A solution which is especially advantageous from a design standpoint is one in which the unlocking element is positively connected with a matching part mounted on the cover, and participates in the tilting movement of the cover as long as the tilting device is connected with the cover. In particular, a pin rotatably mounted in the tilting device is suitable as an unlocking element, said pin tapering conically in the vicinity of its upper end and being provided with shoulders on opposite sides, beneath which shoulders a locking spring may be introduced, said spring being mounted on the matching part and being spreadable by turning the pin to release the cover.
Protection against releasing the tilting device from the cover when the cover is tilted can be provided in simple fashion by having the pin, when the cover is closed, have its lower end project out of a handle for actuating the tilting device, and having a slot at its lower end, permitting the pin to be rotated by means of a coin or the like.
In order to ensure that the cover and tilting device are reliably connected when the cover is replaced, the pin which constitutes the unlocking element is advantageously rotatable into the position in which the locking spring is located beneath the shoulders of the pin, when the cover is pressed against the tilting device by forcing it against the locking spring.
Advantageously, a bridge pivotably mounted on the cover is provided as the matching part. The tilting device is advantageously formed by a telescopic screw which consists of a threaded element rotatably mounted on the fixed part of the roof, an element with opposite threads which supports the unlocking element and is releasably connectable with the cover, and an intermediate threaded element which is located between these two elements.
In another embodiment of the invention, the safety device is under tension which acts in an opening direction when the cover is closed. This ensures that the cover pops up as soon as the tilting device is separated from the cover. To produce such pretensioning, a seal located between the cover and the fixed part of the roof can be used advantageously.
However, to prevent the cover flying off while the vehicle is in motion as a result of improper operation, it is advantageous to provide a safety hook arrangement which is releasable only from outside when the cover is raised, said safety hook arrangement forming a connection between the cover and the fixed part of the roof in the engaged position. The safety hook arrangement can advantageously comprise one, first safety hook mounted on the cover and pivotable against spring force, and a second safety hook which cooperates with the first and is articulated to the tilting device.
These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only several embodiments in accordance with the present invention.